West Ham United’s disastrous 2024/25 season seems to spiral further into chaos. After a series of disappointing results, the arrival of Graham Potter brought a glimmer of hope. However, Potter’s time at the helm has been marred by horrific injury problems, and things are about to get worse with the latest injury news concerning Lucas Paqueta.
Paqueta’s Injury Strikes a Huge Blow
Paqueta, who had recently regained his form under Potter, is now facing an extended spell on the sidelines. Reports from the Evening Standard confirm that the midfielder picked up an ankle injury during training, and he left the Rush Green training ground visibly devastated. This is a huge blow for the Hammers, as the Brazilian has been one of their brightest players in recent weeks.
The news comes at a time when there have been rumors about Paqueta being sold to Flamengo for £20 million. While the veracity of those claims remains uncertain, West Ham will desperately need the 27-year-old’s creativity and technical ability in the coming months.
Three Possible Replacements for Paqueta
With Paqueta out of action, Potter now faces the challenge of finding a suitable replacement. There are a few internal options that could fill the void.
- Carlos Soler: The Spaniard could be a natural fit to replace Paqueta. This may also be his opportunity to prove his worth and secure a permanent deal with the Hammers in the summer.
- Tomas Soucek in an Advanced Role: Although Soucek doesn’t possess the same technical skill as Paqueta, he could provide a different attacking threat with his intelligent runs into the box.
- Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus as No.10s: Potter might opt to use Bowen and Kudus behind striker Evan Ferguson, allowing them to link up and provide a creative spark for the attack.
Given the situation, the most likely scenario seems to be using Bowen and Kudus as attacking midfielders while pairing Soucek and Edson Alvarez in central midfield for balance.
A Challenging Time for West Ham
The loss of Paqueta to an ankle injury is a tough pill for West Ham to swallow. With their season already in turmoil, they’ll be hoping for good news when Paqueta’s scans are revealed, and that the injury isn’t as serious as it first seems. For now, Potter must make the most of the squad at his disposal as he looks to navigate the team through this challenging period.
